HL Deb 02 March 1982 vol 427 c1280WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the technical and legal difficulties that prevent the BBC World Service being broadcast throughout the United Kingdom, and why these technical and legal difficulties do not prevent the World Service being received on short, medium and long wave in various parts of the United Kingdom at various times of the day and night.

Lord Trefgarne

Under the BBC's Royal Charter and Licence Agreement the External Services are established for broadcasting overseas and are financed differently from the Home Services. World Service transmitters are therefore designed to secure optimum reception overseas. By the nature of radio telegraphy reception in parts of the United Kingdom is inevitable but this is fortuitous.

House adjourned at twenty-eight minutes before eleven o'clock.